AntiSocial BBC Radio 4

Should the term “Anglo-Saxon” be dropped because it’s been adopted by racists?
People online are angry because a history journal has dropped “Anglo-Saxon” from its title. Critics say it is pandering to American academics who are unduly worried about the term being used by white supremacists. The journal says that’s got nothing to do with it. It’s part of an ongoing debate about whether “Anglo Saxon” is useful and appropriate. How did the argument start? Where did the term actually come from? And how has it been used in modern times to talk about race?
Presenter: Adam Fleming
Producers: Simon Tulett, Simon Maybin, Natasha Fernandes
Editors: Bridget Harney, Sam Bonham

Pro-Palestinian student protesters have called for their universities to divest from firms with links to Israel, and specifically the conflict in Gaza, but how would that actually work? Adam Fleming discusses the practicalities and protest history of divestment with Chris Marsicano, assistant professor of higher education and public policy at Davidson College, in North Carolina.

The debate about protestors calling for their universities to cut ties with Israel.
Encampments of students protesting about Israel’s military action in Gaza have been popping up on campuses across the UK. They’re calling for their institutions to divest from - sell their stakes in - companies linked to the conflict or Israel, but others say they’re demonising the country and stoking antisemitism. How did the movement start and how have universities been responding? What’s the history of political activism around university investments? And what does the law say about pitching tents on university land?
Presenter: Adam Fleming
Producers: Simon Maybin, Simon Tulett, Ellie House, Jameel Shariff

Where did the trend for tough discipline in schools come from?

It’s led to a big argument online about how strict is too strict. Education journalist Laura McInerney explains the origins of the trend.

A photo of a school corridor, showing three posters describing a particular teaching ethos, has started a debate about the right level of discipline in classrooms.
Some suggest the instructions, which include ‘sit up’, ‘eye contact’ and ‘smile’, are indicative of a super-strict approach some schools have taken, which might be distressing for children, especially those with special needs. We find out where this approach came from, and hear about the American educator who popularised the all-important acronym ‘SLANT.’
Supporters of the approach say strict discipline is essential for learning, and that it generates better outcomes. What evidence is there to back this up?
Presenter: Adam Fleming
Producers: Simon Tulett, Simon Maybin, Ellie House, Jay Gardner
Editor: Richard Vadon

A hypothetical question, asking women whether they would rather be stuck in the woods with a man or a bear, has gone viral on TikTok. It’s got people talking about gender-based violence, sexual assaults, and men’s mental health. But where did this thought experiment come from? The BBC’s Ellie House talks Adam Fleming through the thought experiment’s origins and evolution.